enough to be mounted on top of a long-range missile that is capable of reaching the u.s. it comes two weeks after they conducted a missile test in direct defiance of u.n. security council resolutions. >> the u.n. security council is holding an emergency meeting to address the issue. even china, north korea's long-time ally, has expressed firm opposition to the nuclear tests. we'll have more on this breaking story later on on "gma." we turn to a change of the top of the catholic church. pope benedict made the bombshell announcement he is stepping down. >> at age 85, the pope says he cannot keep up with the job. nick schifrin joins us from rome with more. good morning, nick. >> reporter: good morning, rob. good morning, diana. pope benedict is a shy leader. but he's unpredictable, unprecedented. and it might just guarantee his

legacy. at 85, he is silver-haired and cerebral and says he simply can't keep up. pope benedict xvi tells his cardinals in latin, quote, i had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me. in the last year, benedict grew increasingly frail. >> he certainly slowed down a bit. you could tell he had trouble negotiating steps. he started using the cane several months ago. >> reporter: but the german pope never slowed down, putting the church on an orthodox path. he opposed homosexuality and female priests. he tried to heal wounds, apologizing to victims of sexual abuse. >> they have to come to terms with the priest scandal. they have to be more candid and honest about it. >> reporter: benedict filled stadiums. but he was always a bookworm, more comfortable writing. many are calling for a more

dynamic pope. and thanks to the first papal retirement in six centuries, cardinals might be willing to choose a young ur successor. >> the cardinals have to weigh experience and the need for a certain level of energy. >> reporter: and last night, what looked like a divine sign, lightning hitting st. peters ka reed ral. and the papers are out. this one says amen. benedict won't choose his successor. but he hand-picked cardinals who will. and his most memorable act might have been his last. rob? diana? >> nick schifrin at the vatican. thank you. we'll get into who the front-runners are and what happens to a pope in retirement, coming up on "gma." in other news this morning, president obama poised to lay out his second term agenda in tonight's state of the union address. the nation can expect to get an earful about immigration, gun

control and the economy. abc's tahman bradley has details for us this morning from washington. hey, tahman. >> reporter: hey, rob. anticipate a speech much more elaborate than mr. obama's inaugural address. the white house says the big focus will be the economy and the middle-class. president obama's state of the union speech tonight will focus on jobs and the economy. it's expected to be different in substance and tone than the inaugural address last month. >> the economy will be central to the speech so everybody can have a fair shot. >> reporter: the president will push for additional government spending to provote manufacturing, clean energy and infrastructure. he will also address the cuts set to go. in adding additional spending would require congressional approval, setting mr. obama on a collision course with house republicans. >> it's time for washington to literally get back to the

basics. we can't continue to spend money we don't have. >> reporter: president obama will elaborate on the big themes from his inaugural speech, immigration, climate change and gun violence. tomorrow, the president takes his message on the road, heading to asheville, north carolina, for a speech at an auto ports plant. he will go to the 12 bones smoke house. >> they never tell us when he's coming. it's secret. so, yeah. we don't know. we just wait. >> reporter: tonight, democrats are placing a big emphasis on gun control. gabby giffords will be in the house chamber, as well as the parents of the slain chicago teenager that performed at mr. obama's inauguration. they'll be sitting with the first lady. >> another night of theater in the nation's capital. tahman bradley, thanks as always. you can count on abc's powerhouse political team for tonight's address. it kicks off at 9:00 p.m. eastern, 6:00 pacific. four days after the

record-breaking blizzard. and they're still digging out. bridgeport got 30 inches. and residents are angry the city isn't doing more. the mayor says the plows can't handle the massive amount of snow. and we're finding out more this morning about the sheer power of the tornado that barreled through hattiesburg, mississippi. it was an ef-4. the twister raced across 70 miles in 3 counties, damaging or destroying nearly 600 homes. more than 80 people were injured. but amazingly, not one person was killed. >> very lucky folks. that could have been a lot worse. time, now, for a look at weather across the country on this fat tuesday morning. a mild day will help melt away in a northeast snow. also some flurries for upstate new york and northern new england. drenching rain and flash flooding from new orleans to atlanta. up to four inches of snow around amarillo, oklahoma city and wichita. on top of that, rain and mountain snow in the pacific northwest. >> mostly 40s in the northwest.

82 in miami. and 73 in new orleans. coming up next after the break, new reasons to check your credit report. plus, a developing story from overnight. police check out a new lead in the search for a suspected killer in california. plus, the latest in casino comfort. placing bets right from your bed.

and welcome back, everybody. if you have not checked your credit reports lately you might want to. a government study finds one in four consumers are finding errors in their credit reports.

those mistakes can lead to paying higher interest rates on credit cards. consumers are entitled to a free copy of their credit report each year. but the delinquency rate is down. rising home prices and low-interest rates are making it easier for homeowners to refinance and lower their payments. today marks four years since the last fatal airline crash in the u.s. that's the longest such period in more than 50 years. last year was also the safest worldwide in almost 70 years. experts cite better equipment, better navigation and better information. starting next week, gamblers in new jersey will not even have to get out of bed to place a bed. guests at the atlantic city casino can place bets from their hotel room tv sets. and the casino says it is

planning to expand further, with mobile devices on its property. and as soon as the law allows, the internet, as well. >> i know where you'll be this weekend. >> no comment. now, to news about our extending abc family. the network we're launching with our colleagues at univision will be called fusion, a meeting place for english-speaking latinos, bringing together different cultures and viewpoints. fusion launches later on this year. >> amazing the impact of the growing hispanic culture, affecting media, our politics, perhaps the decision of the next pope. coming up next, the navy s.e.a.l. who shot osama bin laden, breaking his silence. talking about how tough his life is now. plus, the slow tow to shore. we'll hear from passengers aboard that crippled cruise liner still days from port. ♪ i -- i got it, i got it made

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well, you certainly don't often see snow in the desert. that's what they were dealing with yesterday in central arizona. some roads are restricted to just four-wheel drive. and vehicles with chains on their tires. >> a cold cactus. and this from minnesota, where brave and well-insulated surfers were hitting the waves on lake superior. surfers said the swell is about four feet high which is considered pretty good for the largest of the great lakes. the waves were left over from a storm on sunday. surf's up. let's get a look at the morning road conditions. a wet commute from seattle to portland. snowy passes in the cascades and northern rockies. snow-covered roads from north texas into oklahoma city and kansas. rain-soaked highways from louisiana to georgia. and slippery from buffalo to maine. >> if you are flying today, some airport delays are possible in atlanta, new orleans, memphis and charlotte. and now, to an update on that hunt for alleged california

cop-killer, christopher dorner. a hotel in mexico was searched last night. but there was no sign of dorner. >> he's been the subject of a massive international manhunt now for nearly a week. they charged dorner with the murder of a riverside california police officer. he faces the death penalty if he's captured and convicted. more than 700 tips have come in since a $1 million reward was offered for dorner. for the more than 4,200 people stranded on the "triumph" cruise liner, it's a slow trek to land. "the triumph" has been dead in the water sense sunday, when a fire knocked out its engines. passengers and their families say it's rather uncomfortable onboard. >> there's no lights. no water. we can't flush. some people were able to shower. no one was injured. most of us are camping out on

the top deck. >> they're all crying and hysterical. they want to go home. >> the ship should have been back in galveston, texas, already. the passengers are being offered a full refund. this morning, we're hearing for the first time from the navy s.e.a.l. who killed osama bin laden. the s.e.a.l. team 6 member, referred to as the shooter, gave the first eyewitness account of that famous raid. he describes how bin laden reached for a gun and was killed with two shots to the forehead. the shooter goes on to say that adjusting to civilian life has been pretty tough. he's out of a job. and says it's been hard to finding an employer who simply understands his skills. a 79-year-old woman in atlanta is being held on $25,000 bond this morning. norma has been busted for trying to sell marijuana. police found nine pounds of weed and $130,000 in cash inside of her home. again, she's 79 years old. neighbors thought all of the visitors streaming in and out of her home were just looking after

the elderly. >> she has a bad case of glaucoma. she can see everything. indiana has kept its place on top of the a.p. college basketball poll, ending a streak of five weeks where there was a new number one. now, hoops highlights from our friends at espn. >> doug kezirian here with your "sportscenter" update. k.u. has lost three-straight. the jayhawks hosting k-state. mclemore drills a three. under a minute to go in the first half. mclemore, the freshman. 17 in the first half, 30 in the game. k.u. up at the break. second half, jeff witty. next k.u. possession. travis releford for the putback.

k.u. snaps its three-game losing streak. to the nba. celtics riding a seven-game win streak without rajon rondo. first quarter against the bobcats. courtney lee. second quarter action, now. charlotte down five. kemba walker with the steal. the easy two-handed flush. the cs led by six at the break. third quarter, a two-point deficit for charlotte. sessions finished with 19 off the bench. fourth quarter, bobcats down three. avery bradley, known for his on-the-ball defense, instead going airborne for the swat. later in the fourth, bobcats down three. off the miss. the follow-up dunk. sessions knocks down the jumper. charlotte up one. a three-point lead. avery bradley with a chance for the tie. or the loss.

boston's seven-game win streak is over. celtics first lost without rajon rondo. >> decent highlights. but not one of those guys can touch this highlight. >> this is crazy. check out a youngster named anna olson last friday, making the shot of a lifetime. look at that. her nearly full-court shot went in with a bounce and a little help from the rim. wait for it. boom. there it is. even though her team was on the road, even the home fans couldn't help but shriek with excitement. nicely done. nicely done. >> wow. now, that is something she is going to remember forever. >> don't forget that. up next, your fat tuesday "pulse." plus, forget the java. how about a breakfast soda to get your morning going? stay with us. i was living with pain -- all over. the intense ache made it hard to do the things that i wanted. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia --

thought to be the result of over-active nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. so now, i can do more of the things i enjoy. lyrica is not for everyone. it may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior. or swelling, trouble breathing, rash, hives, blisters, changes in eyesight including blurry vision, muscle pain with fever, or tired feeling. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. those who have had a drug or alcohol problem may be more likely to misuse lyrica. with less pain, i'm feeling better with lyrica. ask your doctor if lyrica is right for your fibromyalgia pain. because she thinks it's too dark, and so i brought her some blonde roast. she loves it now. "my son made me this coffee,"

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♪ time, now, to check out "the pulse," rob's favorite time of year. mardi gras down in new orleans. >> uh-huh. >> and there's bourbon street, still going, nice and strong at this early, early hour. >> you never know. >> up all night. >> unfortunately, rain is threatening to dampen some of the fun today. not that folks will feel it. but so far, none of the festivities have been canceled officially. mardi gras, known as fat tuesday, marks the last day of indulgence before lent starts. i got my voodoo doll to ward off the rain today. stay away from him. have fun, new orleans. >> have a good time.

>> i miss being down there. how about that can of soda for breakfast? pepsi is rolling out mountain dew kick start later this month. it's a combination of the soda and fruit juice. >> more caffeine as regular mountain dew but not as much as energy drinks or coffee. it goes on sale february 25th. >> all right. i'll take the caffeine. man, perhaps we could see this coming. the unofficial mascot for the infamous heart attack grill in las vegas has died of -- take one guess. >> a massive heart attack. >> january alman was taken off of life support yesterday. >> the restaurant has gained its share of controversy, over many items like the quadruple bypass burger that has 10,000 calories.

another restaurant spokesman died back in 2011. it's truth in advertising for once, huh? scary. and can you feel the tension building? the tension, of course, ahead of tonight's announcement of which dog is best in show at the westminster kennel club show. >> the top awards for certain categories were handed out last night to some of the pampered pooches. but the big drama is tonight when the overall best in show is awarded. >> good luck to the pooches. enjoy this king cake. happy mardi gras, baby. and i'm really happy that you're in my life, too. ♪ it's just like yours, mom! [ jane ] behind every open heart is a story. tell yours with my open hearts collection at kay jewelers, the number one jewelry store in america. there are millions of reasons to give one, but the message is always the same. keep your heart open... and love will always find its way in. thank you. thank you. ♪ every kiss begins with kay so ditch the brown bag for something better.

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>> live from the kgo-tv broadcast center this is abc7 news. good tuesday morning at 4:28. thanks for joining us. i am kristen sze. >> i am eric thomas. now a check with mike and the forecast. >> looking good over here. check out live doppler 7 hd. we have a few clouds along the coast. fog in the north bay.

otherwise, a quiet morning. temperatures at 32 in novato at cool spot and fairfield at 31. in san francisco, it is 45. if you loved yesterday you will love today. sunshine. a little breezy at the coast. low-to-mid 60's. the rest of us in the low-to-upper 60's. enjoy the wonderful weather. >> activity out there on this tuesday morning. we go to san jose, southbound 880, a stall is blocking the lane. an accident partly blocking the off-ramp from southbound 880 to the daly city area, 280, southbound, there is an accident blocking the left lane. we have road work out there. be sure to slow for the cone zone. looking good from the altamont pass into dublin/pleasanton area. >> we have developing news from vallejo where the opportunity is

on for the shooter or shooter whose killed one person and wounded four others. amy is live at the scene. do we know what led to the gunfire? >> we don't. police do not know much. they have made progress overnight. they are still on the scene. they are focused on the garage of the home which is on eastwood but the front door is on humble in vallejo. at 8:30 police were called to the scene. two men were shot. one died at the hospital. later, three others walked into the hospital. they were all shot. police could not put it together but this morning they have figured out from talking to the victims all five people were shot at this house. the victims are four men and a woman. one of the men died. they believe there were at least

a couple of the victims that live in the house. a neighbor told the vallejo times the couple would lives in the house moved in a month ago. police say it is too early to say whether this is gang related, drug related, or why this happened. they don't have any leads now. >> this morning, a man is in critical condition after being shots by richmond police. officers investigated the scene after police responded to a call of a man with a gun. at the same time, the police department shot spotter picked up gunfire in the area. officers confronted the armed man and opened fire. >> bank robbery suspect has been arrested after a dramatic and explosive end to a five-hour stand off in newark